Advance Voting
Advance Voting is such a great option. In Johnson County, Kansas, four Advance Voting locations have been open since October 21. I headed out this morning, book and coffee in hand, expecting to wait in line for a while (I believe shorter than it will be on Election Day). I arrived at the polling location at about 10:30. The traffic in and out of the parking lot was a little hectic, so I was sure it would be even worse inside. WRONG! It took me no more than ten minutes from start to finish. The lines were long, but the staff was quick and courteous, reassuring each voter that it would not take long to cast their ballot. I can’t understand why Missouri has not yet adopted an Advance Voting system. They cite the cost as the main reason, but it really seems to me that the crunch they will experience on Election Day would outweigh that concern. Further, I believe that many registered voters in States without Advance Voting will be discouraged by long lines and won’t cast a ballot.
If you do live in Kansas, I encourage you to Vote now or in advance. A couple of things to keep in mind:
- The closer to Election Day, the busier polling places will be.
- Avoid pre-rush hour, lunch hour and post rush hour as these are the busiest times.
- Bring a book just in case (I didn’t have time to read, but I would’ve regreted it if I did and didn’t bring one).
- Don’t be discouraged by traffic or long lines. They move faster than you’d expect.
- Know your ballot before you arrive. The voting booth is no place to decide. Lines will move faster if everyone knows how they are going to vote before they get in the booth.
- Finally — NO MATTER WHAT, VOTE!
The only down side to voting early is you will still have to endure another week of campaign advertisements unless you have Tivo or a DVR. 😉
DDuBlog 